


You understood my fears and you protected me

by NewtonSangster



Category: The Maze Runner (Movies), The Maze Runner Series - All Media Types, The Maze Runner Series - James Dashner
Genre: Alternate Universe, Gen, Leukemia, M/M, Mentions of Cancer, Other, mostly sweet family stuff
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-12-07
Updated: 2020-12-07
Packaged: 2021-03-10 05:20:03
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,378
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27939567
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/NewtonSangster/pseuds/NewtonSangster
Summary: Basically Jorge being a home nurse and taking care of his patient Ben.Hints of Benho and adoptive family because it's all I write aboutThis has no other purpose than being soft
Relationships: Ben/Minho (Maze Runner)
Comments: 1
Kudos: 4





	You understood my fears and you protected me

**Author's Note:**

> CW // mentions of cancer (leukemia). I've done as much research as I could to make this fic the most accurate possible, but there may still be some mistakes about the illness, how it's treated or how the patients cope with it. Please if you notice something that doesn't sit right, tell me!
> 
> This is a single-chapter fic for now, I may add another chapter or twelve later if I feel bloody inspired

Jorge readjusted his white coat before knocking on the front door of the house. A few seconds later, a middle-aged lady opened, immediately smiling at the man.

“Mr. Gallaraga! Please come in,” she motioned him inside.

“Hi Mrs. Mason,” Jorge greeted her. “How are you today?”

“Relieved,” she said, walking over to the kitchen before grabbing a kettle and pouring the water in two cups. “We received good news from the doctor yesterday.”

“Oh?”

“Mhm! But I’ll let Ben tell you. He was excited for you to know about it,” Mrs. Mason smiled. “Here,” she said, handing the cups to Jorge. “Your coffee and Ben’s tea. He might be still sleeping, yesterday’s chemo session exhausted him.”

“I’ll be sure to wake him up gently,” Jorge smiled.

Ben’s mother nodded, and Jorge headed upstairs. After three years of coming here, he definitely knew the place by heart.

He softly knocked on Ben’s door, but no answer came. Jorge turned the knob to find Ben sleeping in his bed in the darkness of the room. He put his case and the cups on the desk before walking over to open the curtains. The light flooded in the room, making Ben grumble.

“Mom, let me sleep a little more,” he slurred. “Jorge isn’t here yet.”

Jorge laughed. “You sure about that, hermano?” he asked.

Ben sat up in a second, turning to his nurse with a big smile. “Jorge!” He then watched at his alarm on the nightstand. “Oh my god it’s already nine– Jeez I’m sorry,” he said.

“It’s all good, kid. I’m glad you rested.” He handed him his cup of tea and took a sip of his own drink. “So tell me, what is this good news your mom told me about?” he asked, sitting on the edge of the bed.

“Oh oh–” the seventeen years old kid propped himself up. “You’re gonna be so happy to know about it.”

“Haha, I bet I am,” Jorge laughed at the excitement he could see in Ben’s eyes.

“So…” The boy mimed drum rolls with his fingers. “I’m done with chemo!”

“Wait, really?! Ben that’s amazing!” Jorge smiled.

“Haha yes! The doctor said I’m almost fully recovered. Guess who’s beating leukemia like a pro,” he winked, before high-fiving Jorge.

“I knew from the start it had no chance against you,” Jorge smiled, putting his empty cup on the table before opening his case. “Okay, kid, you know the drill.”

“Yup,” Ben took off his shirt. “Vital check and the fun prick part.”

“You’d make a perfect nurse,” Jorge smirked, placing the stethoscope on the kid’s chest. “Breathe in and out.”

Jorge checked his heartbeat rate, his temperature and blood pressure.

“I can’t wait to see you with long hair,” Jorge joked as he took the tensiometer off Ben’s arm.

“Oh come on, I don’t look that bad with a buzzcut,” Ben faked a vexed tone, rubbing the top of his head. “At least I look better than when I had no hair at all.” He fell silent for a second. “It doesn’t matter, anyway. There’s no one to see it.”

Jorge noticed how Ben’s face and mood dropped. He knew the kid hadn’t really gotten out of his house since he had been diagnosed. During the last three years, he had had a few relapses and was often exhausted due to his treatments, so he had had no other choice but stay in and be homeschooled. The nurse knew he barely had friends, and the few he had weren’t really keeping in touch with him.

“Hey, son…” Jorge put a hand on Ben’s arm. “You’re doing great. You’re one of the bravest persons I know. Soon enough you’ll be able to go out, and the entire world will be jealous of your angel hair.”

Ben lifted his head up and lightly laughed. “Thanks, Jorge,” he smiled.

The man nodded and took out a few syringes. “Ready?” he asked Ben.

“Of course.  _ Hermano _ .”

Ben and Jorge were playing chess on the floor when Ben’s mother came into the room with a plate of cookies and two cups, smiling at the view of her son having fun.

“You did not just take my rook–” Jorge gasped.

“Haha, check mate!” Ben cheered, turning to the lady. “Did you see that, Mom? I just beat Jorge for the first time!”

“I’m so proud of you,” she smiled. “I brought you snacks and drinks,” she continued, putting the plate and cups down next to the board. 

“Thank you Mrs. Mason,” Jorge smiled, earning a nod from her before she left the room.

“Seriously?” Ben asked Jorge once the door was closed. “‘Mrs. Mason’?” he mimed quotes.

“What?” Jorge asked, confused.

“She has a name, you know.”

“Yes, but I’m being professional.”

“Professional my ass,” Ben smiled as he took a chunk of a cookie. “You’re almost part of the family.”

“But I’m still her son’s nurse, so I have to stay professional. This is how it works,” Jorge stuck his tongue out at Ben.

“That wasn’t really professional, hermano,” Ben laughed before stopping suddenly. A second passed by.

“Ben?” Jorge tried to call him, but Ben immediately got up and ran to his bathroom, sinking down in front of the toilets before throwing up.

Jorge got up and walked over to him and filled a cup with water. He kneeled down next to the kid, who was breathing heavily. 

“Look at me Ben,” he told him. “Follow my breath. See? Inhale, exhale. Slowly.”

Ben shakily followed Jorge’s chest movements.

“Perfect, you’re doing amazing,” Jorge said, before handing him the cup. “Drink this, one sip at a time. No rush.”

He rubbed the kid’s back as he was sipping the water, a tear falling on his cheek.

“Shhh, you’re okay,” he continued. “It’s just the chemo side effects, so it should be the last time it happens,” he tried to comfort him.

“I hate it,” Ben barely managed out. “I hate it so much.”

“I know, I know. It’ll be over soon. Let’s go back to your bed, okay?”

Ben nodded and Jorge helped him up, flushing the toilet before taking Ben back to his bed.

“It’s my fault,” Ben said, sitting down on the bed. “I forgot to take my nausea meds yesterday.”

“It’s okay, it’s over now,” Jorge said, rubbing his shoulder as Ben leaned against the wall, closing his eyes.

A few minutes passed by, Ben eventually opening his eyes again. “Thanks,” he lightly smiled.

Jorge nodded, before eyeing the guitar next to Ben’s bed. “Oh, have you practiced the song since last week?” he asked.

“I did!” Ben said as he grabbed the guitar. “Listen,” he started playing.

Jorge closed his eyes, listening to every chord of the song. Some were still hesitant, but Ben was really good at playing now.

“So?” the kid asked when the song was over.

“It was awesome!” Jorge cheered. “I won’t have anything to teach you anymore sooner than expected,” he laughed. “I wish my son was patient enough to let me teach him too how to play.”

“Haha, I guess Minho has less time to spare than me, leading the track team is a lot of work. How is he, by the way?” Ben asked, putting the guitar down. 

“He’s good, he was asking about you yesterday,” Jorge smiled. “He’ll be happy to know you’re getting better.”

“Really? He asked about me?”

“Mhm! I tell him about you as much as I tell you about him. You two know each other by heart,” Jorge laughed.

“I wish I could meet him,” Ben said.

“Well, it wouldn’t be professional of me to bring him here by myself, but if you accidentally saw his number on my phone…” Jorge winked as he took his phone out and opened Minho’s contact page.

“You’re the best,” Ben smiled as he saved Minho’s number in his own phone. “I hope he’ll like me.”

“Oh, trust me. He will.”

The both of them laughed before Jorge looked at his watch.

“Oh no it’s already twelve– I have to go, I have another patient to see in fifteen minutes. But I’ll come back on Friday afternoon, alright son?”

“Miss you already,” Ben laughed.

Jorge smiled at the kid. He’d miss him too.


End file.
